While foldable phones are gradually gaining traction, a new report suggests that Apple’s foldable iPhone may arrive sooner than we thought.
As Samsung gears up to launch its 6th generation foldable phones, a report gives us a sneak peek at the possible design of the first foldable iPhone.
According to an investor note seen by 9to5Mac, Haitong International analyst Jeff Pu says that Apple’s first foldable iPhone will sport a unique outward folding design.
He further says this foldable phone will have a 7.9-inch display that will wrap around the body, unlike most current foldable phones that sport an inward folding display. Pu further says that the device is expected to launch in 2026 – slightly earlier than initially reported.
While we’d heard murmurs about the foldable iPhone, this is the first time we’ve heard specifics about the screen size. In one of the earlier reports, Pu said that Apple will begin mass production of a 20.3-inch foldable device in late 2025, followed by a foldable iPhone in late 2026.
Various analysts have reported that a MacBook with a foldable display is also in the works. This hybrid device may go into mass production by the end of 2025, with a potential release in 2026.
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To explain it further, tablet-styled foldable phones like Galaxy Z Fold 5, Pixel Fold, and OnePlus Open have two displays. The external or secondary display is non-folding, while the primary display folds in-wards in half when not used.
Going by what Pu has mentioned, the display on this iPhone will fold outwardly wrapping around the body of the phone.
The outward folding design may help reduce screen crease and may result in the device being thinner and lighter. On the other hand, the outward folding design is more susceptible to wear and tear as the soft foldable display remains exposed on both sides of the device.
If the report is true, then the foldable iPhone could join the likes of Royole’s FlexPai and Huawei’s Mate X – both first-generation devices of the respective brands.
